Pricing and specifications for the all-new 2018 Toyota Camry have been revealed today… with the eighth-generation Camry now fully imported.

UP UNTIL NOT THAT LONG AGO, the Toyota Camry that Australians used to buy in their droves was built right here in our own backyard. Not anymore. For the first time in 30 years, the new Toyota Camry is now fully-imported. Let that sink in. And then let’s pose this question… can it continue to dominate the medium segment as it has done for the last 23 years?

But there’s more to the new Camry than just being an import. It’s the first sedan in Japanese car maker’s line-up to be built on Toyota’s New Global Architecture (TNGA); we’ve already sampled a variant of this platform under the C-HR and Practical Motoring will be road testing the new Camry a little later today.

In a statement announcing the arrival of the new Camry in Australia, Toyota said: “The latest Camry is built on a new platform that underpins more emotional styling, new powertrains with higher power and better fuel economy, a revamped chassis that sharpens driving dynamics and advanced new safety technologies”.

The new Camry is available in Australia with the choice of two new engines, a four-cylinder hybrid and either a four-cylinder petrol, or a V6 petrol (224kW and 362Nm) with an eight-speed automatic. The 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol hybrid powertrain makes 131kW at 5700rpm and 221Nm of torque at 3600-5200rpm; the electric motor offers 88kW and 202Nm of torque and is mated to a CVT. The non-hybrid 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine makes 133kW and 235Nm of torque and is mated to a six-speed automatic.

Toyota has adopted new grade names: Ascent and Ascent Sport (4-cylinder petrol or hybrid), SX (4-cylinder or V6) and SL (all three powertrains) – in V6 guise they’re just $4000 more than the four-cylinder variants.

Toyota’s senior divisional manager sales and marketing Sean Hanley said the new range represents the largest generational change for Camry since the nameplate was introduced in 1983.

It’s worth noting that the above prices are dealer list prices and due to local production commitments, Toyota has been offering aggressive discounts on the now, old car, with some equivalent models selling (driveway) for almost $10k less. While Toyota acknowledges there’s a price difference when compared to the runout model, it fully expects the new Camry to continue the brand’s mid-size domination and has predicted continuing its unbroken run into a 25th year in 2018.

Despite this prediction, Toyota has acknowledged the Camry will drop volume compared with years gone by and that with an end to local sales incentives, there will be an increasing focus on private buyers.

2018 Toyota Camry Key Features:

Ascent (4-cylinder petrol)

Safety:

Pre-Collision Safety System

Autonomous Emergency Braking

Lane Departure Alert with steering assist

Auto High Beam

All-Speed Cruise Control

7 Airbags

VSC, TRC, ABS with EBD and Brake Assist, Brake Hold

Reversing camera with Back Guide Monitor

Immobiliser & alarm

Mechanical:

2.5-litre petrol engine

Six-speed automatic transmission

Independent suspension

17-inch alloy wheels

Full-size spare wheel

Drive Mode Select

Exterior:

LED headlamps with auto levelling

LED rear combination lamps

LED DRLs

Interior:

2-inch multi-information display (MID)

Fabric seat trim

Urethane steering wheel with audio, phone and MID controls

Urethane gear shifter

Manual tilt & telescopic steering column adjustment

60/40 split-fold rear seat

12V accessory connector

Audio:

7-inch display screen

Toyota link

6 speakers

Auxiliary and USB ports

Comfort & Convenience:

Electronic parking brake

Manual air-conditioning

Driver’s seat power lumbar adjustment

Auto power windows front & rear

Hybrid:

Hybrid specific 2.5-litre engine

Electric motor

Electronic CVT

Nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) battery (under rear seat)

Dual-zone air conditioning

Keyless smart entry and ignition

Space-saver spare wheel

Ascent Sport (4-cylinder petrol and hybrid)

As per Ascent, with these additions/changes:

Mechanical:

Temporary Spare Wheel

Exterior:

Sports front grille (matte finish)

Sports rear bumper

Sports side skirts

Interior:

Premium steering wheel

Premium gear shifter

Stainless steel scuff plates

LED glovebox lamp

Audio:

8-inch display audio

Satellite navigation

Comfort & Convenience:

Dual-zone air conditioning

Power driver’s seat (slide, recline, vertical adjustment)

Front and rear parking clearance sonar

Keyless smart entry and ignition

SX (4-cylinder petrol and V6)

As per Ascent Sport, with these additions:

Mechanical:

Paddle shifters

Sports independent suspension

19-inch alloy wheels

Exterior:

High-grade LED headlamps with auto levelling

High-grade LED rear combination lamps

Sports front grille (high gloss)

Rear boot-lid spoiler

Interior:

Sports seats

Sports leather-accented seat trim

Audio:

Two Additional USB port (rear)

Comfort & Convenience:

Wireless phone charger

V6:

3.5-litre V6 petrol engine

Eight-speed automatic transmission

SL (4-cylinder petrol, hybrid and V6)

As per Ascent Sport, with these additions/changes

Safety:

Blind Spot Monitor

Rear Cross Traffic Alert

Mechanical:

18-inch alloy wheels

Exterior:

Sports front grille (high gloss)

Rear boot-lid spoiler

Panoramic roof glass opening (on petrol models)

Electric tilt & slide moonroof on Hybrid

Interior:

Leather-accented seat trim

Intelligent ambient illumination

Power tilt & telescopic steering column adjustment

Comfort & Convenience:

Driver’s seat memory

Electro-chromatic interior mirror

10-inch colour Head-up Display

Power driver’s and passenger seat (lumbar, slide, recline, vertical)

Ventilated seats

Rain-sensing wipers

Stay tuned for our first drive impression online on Wednesday. The question the new Camry will have to answer is, is it just a case of catching up with the competition in a segment that’s dropping off, or can it continue to attract Australian car buyers?

You might want to fix those references to 5 litre motors, you may excite some people!

Decent pricing, could have been a whole lot worse. Do you know what the combined output for the hybrid motor is?

trackdaze

Overseas markets receive the option of a lithium battery pack.

Why not here?

godafoss

Why because they think we are mugs. They do the same with the Prius, off-load their old tech on to Australia, and guess what, we are stupid enough to keep buying them. If the idiots used their brain they could force Toyota to give us the good stuff. But they are like lemmings. So can you blame Toyota knowing they could sell a dog turd if it has a Toyota badge in this country.

Isaac Bober

Isaac Bober was born in the shadow of Mount Panorama in Bathurst and, so, it was inevitable he’d fall into work as a motoring writer. He began his motoring career in 2000 reviewing commercial vehicles, before becoming editor of Caravan & Motorhome magazine. He then moved to MOTOR Magazine before going freelance and contributing to Overlander 4WD, 4×4 Australia, TopGear Australia, Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, The Australian, CARSguide, and many more.

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